2025 CGA Conference Championships Recap
The 2025 NCAA men’s gymnastics championships season was in full swing this past weekend as the conference championship contests were held for each of our three conferences.
The ECAC Championship featured an historic upset. Army (313.5) defeated Navy (309.55) and won its first ECAC championship since 2016, dethroning the Midshipmen who had won every ECAC title since 2018.
The stakes of this contest could not have been higher for Army since they were right on the bubble, sitting in 12th place, the last spot in the NCAA championships as a team. Army needed to perform well to maintain their position, and they put on a display of consistency that led to a decisive victory when it mattered most.
Springfield freshman, Kaleb Palacio (13.65) topped the charts on floor. Greenville’s Matthew Roth tied Navy’s Matthew Petros for the pommel horse title (13.55). Isaiah Drake (13.45) claimed the rings crown and the All-Around title (78.35).
Vault was secured by Ricky Mays (14.3) out of Greenville. Petros (13.6), in his second win of the day took home top honors on parallel bars, and William & Mary’s Ricky Pizem (13.15) came off of a season long injury to win high bar.
In Ann Arbor, the Big Ten Championships were the Michigan show. The Wolverines (330.75) won their 5th straight big ten team title, in which Paul Juda and Fred Richard placed first and second in the all-around. The pair of Olympians accounted for no less than half of Michigan’s routines and led their team to victory.
Penn State (323.85), Nebraska (322.85), and Illinois(320.95) all battled it out for 2nd place, and Ohio State (315.95) finished a distant 5th.
The Buckeye’s flipped the script on day two and came away with two Big Ten title winners. Jesse Pakele (14.075) won floor and Kameron Nelson (14.85) dominated vault with a national season high score on the event.
Illinois’ Brandon Dang (14.775) won his second straight Big Ten pommel horse title. The Nebraska rings squad showed why they are ranked #1 in the country on that event. The top four spots on the podium were occupied by a husker. Yianni Chronopoulos (13.95) led the charge, followed by Asher Cohen (13.925), Chris Hiser (13.85), and Taylor Chirstopulos (13.8) - who finished third in the All-Around the day before.
Penn State’s Josh Karnes (14.45) snuck past Michigan’s Evgeny Siminiuc to win parallel bars. To end the championship on a high note for Michigan, Siminiuc (14.1) swung out on high bar and claimed the final event title of the competition.
The MPSF championship held just as much excitement. In the ECAC Army upset Navy in dramatic fashion. In the Big Ten, Michigan put on a show at home. In the MPSF, the meet came down to the final routine, a rings set by Oklahoma’s Tas Hajdu which put the Sooners (329.25) three tenths ahead of the reigning MPSF champion Stanford Cardinal (328.95).
Taylor Burkhart (14.35) tumbled his way to victory on floor for Stanford. Air Force’s Patrick Hoopes (14.9) led the way on pommel horse over world pommel horse medalist, Khoi Young (14.45). Asher Hong (14.8) dominated rings, winning the title by seven and a half tenths.
Cal’s Jasper Smith-Gordon (14.25) beat out Burkhart (14.2) for the vault title. On parallel bars and high bar Oklahoma stalwarts Fuzzy Benas (14.1) and Emre Dodanli (14.3) won their events respectively.
This conference championship weekend was historic. Upsets, big wins, close meets, and thrilling gymnastics all around are a compelling preview for the NCAA championships to come April 18th and 19th at the Crisler Center at the University of Michigan.
NCAA Championships Schedule
*All Times EST
Friday April 18th:
1:00pm: Session 1
Oklahoma, Nebraska, Penn State, Air Force, California, William & Mary
Saturday April 19th:
7:00pm: Session 2
Michigan, Stanford, Illinois, Ohio State, Navy, Army
Hall of Fame Banquet:
When: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Where: Glick Ballroom at Postma Clubhouse - University of Michigan
Tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/collegegymnasticsassociation/1630589